You Still Owe Me a Reason
by LyreStarry Reinn87
Summary: Her smile was still the same; she just couldn't bring herself to smile before him, nonetheless. She tried to beat a hasty retreat, but at long last found herself enchanted in his charm once again. Oneshot, based on PSPo2I, a little bit angsty (?)


It's just another day in Clad 6.

But instead of going to open mission with Emilia, Ryle chose to go alone. Something that she would undertake if she needs some time alone or merely searching for a distraction from whatever haunting her mind. As was common, she took the ship and settled her mission also her destination. Beforehand, she thought that she would go alone this time, but once she arrived at the place, someone took her by surprise.

"What a coincidence to encounter you in such a place, Ryle. Apparently Holy Light had answered my prayers by bringing you here."

Hyuga Ryght looked so relaxed as he was leaning on the maple tree. His pale visage, striking silver hair, as well as his all-black attire looking out of place amidst the autumn atmosphere. However... That sight was enough to snatch her breath away.

"...Ryght. Good morning." after finally mustering all of her sanity, Ryle flashed her signature grin. "I never knew you still do free mission although you are now not a Guardian anymore."

Hyuga raised up his brows by this; in old days, she accustomized to call him by his name. Ryle noticed by the flicker of his eyes, that deep down, he questioned her sudden change of behavior. But what rolled out of his tongue almost made her caught off guard, "I thought you invited me to your party. Otherwise, I'm not wasting my time coming here and waiting for you, no?"

"...Eh? Really?" Ryle coughed to veil her nervousness as she ran down her party list. And there it is; Hyuga's name was marked by blue tint, a sign that he was included to her party.

"Am I right?" A smug grin flashed his lips as Ryle closed her interface device.

"Yeah, you're right."

Still smiling wide, silently she cursed her carelessness for not checking her attire twice. Now she has no choice but to bring him along.

"Okay. Seems like I've got company! Yey!" she exclaimed with some sort of fake cheerfulness. She turned to the entrance gate of Mizuraki C. D. as she produced her dual handgun from her inventory.

* * *

The rest of the mission was uneventful. In fact, it was pretty easy due to their relatively high level, and their flawless teamwork concealed all the faults. After collecting varies of loot dropped from their losing foes, Ryle snapped her head towards Hyuga to see if he was unharmed. Aside from scratches on the surface of his skin, otherwise the rest are fine.

But still, Ryle couldn't help but ask.

"Are you hurt? Hold on for a while." She reached out her hand towards the young man, almost touching him as she cast a healing spell. White, blue, and green light emitting from her hands, before enveloping Hyuga with the celestial light.

She retracted her hand once she was done, but something preventing her from doing so. Hyuga, lips curved with a gentle smile as he grabbed her wrist and guiding her hand towards his cheeks.

"... um. Ryght?"

Ryle froze as her hands brushed with his pale cheeks. She genuinely thought that his skin would feel cold, but it felt surprisingly warm. And also... Soft.

"I need to feel your hand upon my face," Hyuga whispered as he closed his eyes, feeling her warmth.

Knowing him for years, Ryle was already familiar with his usual tricks to flirt with most of the female in Gurhal. Back then, she was oblivious with his antics and brush it off as if it was the most usual thing he would do. But now... After she looked at everything in a bigger picture, her view of him gradually changed. Thinking about this caused something in her stomach stirred. To make it even worse, a burning pain struck her chest, causing her to feel suffocated.

Realizing that she was falling for him for umpteenth times instantly made her eyes burned. But she didn't want to embarrass herself by crying before him. Hence, she coughed and once again forced herself to laugh, "S-should we go back? I...I'm sure that Emilia is looking for me right now-"

"Losing you was something I consistently did so well." As if ignoring Ryle's desperate plea, Hyuga cut her off as he revealed his light blue orbs; locking her full pair of pinkish orbs, "I lost you for years. I had been searching for you, but you are nowhere to be found. And now, without any signs, you are coming back."

His face now drawing closer, slowly as if approaching a little bird. Gently, as if afraid that the bird got threatened and fly away; never came back. Nonetheless, enchanted by his spell, Ryle stood still, unable to move. Unable to break their eyes.

Abruptly, he stopped as their forehead met. His eyes filled with emotion; sadness mixed with disappointment. Ryle could perceive it clearly through his glasses, and that mere sight made her breath hitched.

"...You still owe me a reason, Ryle."

His words soon disappeared within the rushing wind. Silence engulfed them in a solemn atmosphere of autumn, overwhelming them with such melancholy. And none of them make an attempt to break from their...now comforting state.

Ryle was not someone who letting herself fall inside the silent melancholy. In fact, she constantly tried to disintegrate it in an attempt to break the ice or preventing her to fall even further. But now...with Hyuga and his strangely saddened behavior, she couldn't bring herself to do that. It's not like that she didn't notice that he was hurt.

"Why?" After what seemed like an eternity, Ryle finally responded, "I thought our bond is not that strong, to begin with. It's not like you to demand an explanation of my disappearance."

Her voice, although sounded honest, but thick of sarcasm. Hyuga blinked, tightened his grip on her wrist. Out of frustration, of course.

"Bless the Holy Light. If we are in the different circumstances right now, I should've kissed you," he answered almost quickly, sounded pretty desperate.

Ryle almost jumped by his sudden comeback, grimacing at the thought. In that instant, her mind wandered away, imagining that Hyuga was leaning so close to her. She was able to smell his cologne in such a short distance; his lips were against hers...

"You're imagining it, aren't you?" His voice pulled her back to reality, and the realization that he noticed that made her turned crimson; almost similar to the shade of falling leaves around them.

"Goddamit, I'm fucking not!" Out of embarrassment, she shot out the curse.

He inevitably laughed with her comical antics, not long until it disappeared."Save that for later. I won't allow this go. Even though, I also won't let any chance to kiss you slip by."

At this point, Ryle was not able to differ if this is just Hyuga's playfulness or if he was serious.

"I demand your reasoning because... We are much closer than you think. In fact, I grow attached to you." He confessed, but this didn't able to convince her because she knows that they are not that close. Their bond is not that strong albeit they were spending most of their time together. At least... That mere idea was planted firmly inside her mind. After 'that' happened, her world was turned upside down, leaving her deep within despair.

"...I... I don't know." She replied breathlessly.

"That is okay. After so much thing happened, it's logical for you to not entrust me enough." His lips curved into a saddened smile. Ryle stunned, founding herself enchanted with his spell once again. She barely even move when Hyuga leaned closer and planted a chaste kiss atop the crown of her head. He stilled for a brief moment, lips still touching her pale-pink locks.

Eventually, Hyuga pulled back and gazing at her with warm smile.

"I wish that we'll meet again for another chance. Until then, I'll be waiting." He said as he lowered her hands, broke the contact from his face. Ryle could feel a shiver the moment he stroked her hand with his lips before finally let her go.

"Oh.. Umm.. Okay." Ryle responded timidly. Strangely enough, she didn't have any strength to even flashed a grin.

Hyuga looked at the exit gate a while before turned to Ryle. She noted a slight reluctance in the crack of his eyes to depart from her.

"...Well. May the Holy Light always be with you." Hyuga smiled before turning on his heels and walking to the exit. In silence, Ryle gazed at his seemed shrinking figure before eventually disappeared.

She sighed, releasing the breath that she had been holding, then touched her head, where his lips touched her earlier.

"...Shoot." She shook her head quickly, then slapped her cheeks several times. She exhaled in a harsh manner before a cute pout formed on her lips.

"Oh well. Time to go back."


End file.
